Positive Retaliation
When you’re young and feel unsupported or unloved
you’ve never been taught about the one that’s above
When you bottle up your pain and misery and your emotions
Constantly beat you up mentally
There’s no one you can talk to, nobody to help or even guide you
When you walk down the streets that feel like hell
and all the stereotypes place you dead or in jail
You wonder how should I get back at these people?
Should I lie, cheat, and steal and show the world that you’re evil?
It’s time that I took a different approach
To be able to really brag and boast
To show that stereotypes can be proven wrong
cause I’ve been an object of perception for way too long
A lot of times I’ve been told that I ain’t going to be nothing
But positive retaliation is for me to be something
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The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
I enjoy hearing that you are taking charge of yourself and claiming your power to be the way that you want to be.
I think that this piece really radiates power and hope! Thoroughly enjoyed reading through this, continue to take charge of yourself!
A powerful message of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. I like how this poem addresses the struggles of feeling unsupported and unloved, as well as the mental toll of burying pain and misery. It also touches on societal stereotypes, which can make it difficult to feel valued and respected.
However, it emphasizes that we should not allow negative perceptions to define us and instead choose a different approach.
I feel empowered after reading that I can turn negative experiences into positive outcomes.